Door structure for motor vehicles



March 23, 1948. w, FRANCE, 2,438,185

DOOR STRUCTURE FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed Aug. 30, 1944 4 Shets-Sbeet 1INVENTOR.

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March 23, 1948.

FRANCE DOOR STRUCTURE FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed Aug. 50, 1.944 4Sheets-Shee't 2 INV EN (0R. fill Z )7 K 7 7 313:17 C 6.

March 23, 1948.' A. w. FRANCE v 2,438,185

I DOOR STRUCTURE FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed Aug. 50, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet sINVENTOR.

March 23, 1948.

A. w. PRAN CE DOOR STRUCTURE FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed Aug. 30, 1944 4Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

-'i$ to eliminate necessity of rev- =door .virith a doiibl-e iiirierpalniel coiist zfut 4 -to combine in o r e ixia iiri i'ri i eiiiefieltlilf itions heretofore performed door panel-and; its covering fi'mfianl.

Patented Mar. 23,, i948 DwnsTRUeTImE-F iir'eiitis; Royal oe i I umet riee'ih t y",Iietreit,Mien;s

'en otMie-igen Application Au iists'o, 1944, sieri'e Ne. 551;789

Hiet QfOTQ it h "s been the ponv'eh tioiiel pre e ticqin the manufatot'u fe of doois of 9.11 ifiob'ile bodies to eonstrhot the door within'n'e'li" feifid outei'; metel p ar ie l's s eciir edtogether afids'bae'd a'i'fitft to p ovide the 'isi elwindovv well fdi" hdiisifi'g'sphmeehar'iishis is the W ihdldvv fegfiejtdf 'ajficf'do'orf 1ock,-thesebeihg fiiodhtd up ori the i'ririf meter door is t lel. The elfdoofpifiel i'd dp'e'fat ing mechar' is'nis wi in the vteTl' alfe'oonc'jealle'd at' the iI ISiCiB of the biody" To iheafis' of a; fabriccoveredtiim panel which is reifiovaglilv' sedu 'd in position bysfiit'eible 'fste ie'i s. Thes tr m panels are relatively expensive toit'ielriujfeotfir and their" list together with otli efsTfibstar'ftiLlcosts incident to niateiie le eiid' 'etqr nve ved' the oons'truotionofthe door alndth asser'nhliqo'f the various parts results iri the debts"-of eiu'tdmobile bodies i epresenti ig very i1t5teiitie1 .i56r"- time ofthe total cost oft-he bodies the fiiier vihetell further objeot of theitiv'eiitidn is to previde an improved doorpohsti ucted firihifiallly'ofa-n outer metal panel grid in iii' i eiflpl 'stic non-metallic panel;united together to "fo'i fri a ;st1 upti1fe having t-he idiiisitstiieiith iifi-fi gidity as wen {as att'r'Q ti fi'SE ifi 'apiietiii.

Still another object of the inirentiofij to '0- vide at door ifivvhihjthe iniiifvifll' f the W111- dow' wen is formed of a sifigle miiihfiahl jp'reierabli' produced from plastic" material find united to theouter fi'let'al pziriel of thewdo'oi 'ifi impaired iiiehner'. 1

Another object of the ihve itiohi :is to .i) at door having eri ifm'ei'o'iii i'neiitatl jfiahl f i-ng one well of the wihaew wenei a be "fieii37 secured to the oiitef ihetall p'iiel. oiihd thed theieof, provisioibei'fi i'n'alde foi eeee'se tot'li' Window wen bi biovi 3 en piiifi' oi'tpfture iii the fi ner pe'nel i'eihovelloly- ,ldsid 53? Iheafis of eiieheiihember csi ehie (er enhi haihe the oirimiiitel eisheeiehee oftlie edooii.

V A further object of the ihvefitioh-i tqhrevide a door having oiiteigthdjiiheifliaiil siiadto provide a. window Well, the dutifihhlfbeih 16fpres'sed metal and the ifmei fiifiel at plastic 1 5 dihiflis; (o296-451) meterie secur d to the outer fiaii'el to provide a nieiieih ii'jdoo ove'riepflange along the outer" edge off the door jamb; the latterbeing formed ES" a Part" of the ihr'ier panel.

other ob'jets or this invention will appear in the fhllowihg descriptionand appended claims, refer'e i'oe" bi'ein'g had to the accompanyingdrawir gs for mg a part of this specification wherein l ke refi t echaracters designate correspond i gj pfiirts' n the severeizviews;

Fi 1 eh explocled' perspective view7o'f t e irisfde' of a rear" door ofan automobile, cart-- stfiic'lted a cordance" with the resent invenmg: 1A is efil'afgedjsction taken 's hsteiiitielny throu h h'ne' A-A of Fig.1 looking in the dirje tieh (if the errews:

mg, 3 is eiri emerge fragmentar per ective VlVT' fifidfi'illustifihg'the manner in which: the ifirj ief arid outer pati'iels' of the door arejoined together". I

' Fig. 4 i's'Qa. .s'eoti'ontak'en substantially throfigh 1ilii's'.4-.-,4of Fig. 2 looking in the direction Of th errew 5 is etheh'iei'geqseetion taken substantially' thfoug'h 1ifi 5+5 of Fig". 2 looking in thedi'rtio of. the" tail 0W5;

Fig"; 6' is an exploded perspective view of the ifisid'e of ti'eaif doorof 'an automobilevbod'y illu etih embodiment er the invehtioii.

7 is e. "s''tiofiel perspective View of the ifiv' i emple of ether embodments and o fj helhg prajtitioe'd or carried out in various ways.

I is to beuhde fstood that the phi'aS'eologfS' is of ds'crip'tionaiidnot of limitation.

Although in Figs. 1 and ,2 I have illustrated 2i.

i'iiooif time, ifeht deer, is'peotivly, or en aut mobire the,ijiohs'tfuotioh theieoffis t e e 7 .ei afiti'al particulars. Accordinly. orresiihdirie' parts of these more are designated by the samereference characters since no substantial difference in structure existsbetween the two doors so 'far as this embodiment of the invention isconcerned. The rear door of the automobile body is designated as a wholeat A in Fig. 1

and the front door is designated at B in Fig. 2,

these doors differing for the purposes of the present case only in shapeand in the fact that the rear door is provided with the conventional dogleg A to provide clearance for the wheel housing of the vehicle. In viewof the substantial identity in construction between the two doors, thefollowing description of either door will be understood to apply to bothdoors.

In the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive wherein the invention isillustrated, by way of example, as applied to the doors of an automobilebodyfthe. .door. in each instance comprises an outer stamped orpressedmetal door panel H), which may be formed of sheet steel, and aninner door panel H of suitable plastic material as hereinafterdescribed. The inner plastic panel II is formedto the desired shape andcontour and is provided with an inner generally vertically extendingwall I2 extendingin the general longie tudinal direction of the outermetal panel In and spaced therefrom a suitable distance to provide awindow well between the panels immediately below the window opening ofthe door. The inner wall I2 of the door panel II terminates around theupright sides and top of the door in anoutwardly extending flangesection I3 integral with the wall, I2 and of varying width in order tosuit the contour of. the outer metal door panel [0.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the marginal edge of the flange section I3 ofthe inner door panel abuts against the outer panel I entirely around thesides andtop of the door. Embedded within the marginal edge portion ofthe flange section reinforcing and attaching angle member I4 is ofrequisite width in order to be embeddedthe"de-' sired distance withinthe marginal edge portion of the inner door panel flange I3. In order tofirmly anchor the angle I4 in place the edge thereof is slitted andprovided with reversely formed struck-out projections I 4a and Nb. Theseprojections serve the purpose of locking the angle I4 within the edge ofthe plastic inner door panel 4 provided with a vertically extendingcentrally dis-*- posed aperture or opening I5 which is of requisitewidth in order to properly insure access to the operating mechanismsfrom the inside of the door. The wall I2 is formed with an upper recessI6 producing an outwardly ofiset upper section I! in the inner panel.The wall I2 is also formed with a lowerrecessIB producing acorrespondingly shaped lower ofiset section I9.

Theapertureor opening I5 is adapted to be closedby means of a'removablepanel 20, preferably formed of the same material as the main panel I-I.As shown in Figs; 1 and 4, the upper the door. As also illustrated inFig. 1A; the lower and assist in preventing the angle from buckling outor becoming displaced, thus providing the edge of the plastic inner doorpanel with a strong, rigid reinforced formation. The angle member I 4 isprovided with an outwardly projecting flange Idc of suitable width topermit the outer metal door panel II] to be secured thereto. In thepresent instance the edge of the outer panel In is bent or crimpedaround the flange I40 as shown at Illa and rigidly secured thereto as byspot welding. This construction provides the projecting over-' lapflange of the door and also a strong and du-' rable means forpermanently uniting the inner plastic door panel I I and the outer metaldoor panel I 0.

' In order to permit ready access to the various operating mechanismswithin the window well of the door, (such as the window regulator andlock mechanisms, the inner wall I 2 ofthe panel II is edge.of theclosure panel 20 is formed with a downwardly extending flange 20aadapted to fit into a correspondingly shaped notch or recess in theupper edge of the portion I1 andto overlap and conceal this edge. Theclosure panel 20 is also provided at its lower edge with an outwardlyprojecting flange 20b by means of which the closure member 20 may beremovably secured to the bottom edge of the wall I 2.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1A, the bottom edge of the wall I2 of theinner plastic door panel is formed with an outwardly projecting flange24 integral with the side flanges I 3 and abut-v ting against the bottomof the outer door panel I0. 4 7 forcing metal angle member 25corresponding to the angle member I4 and either integral therewith orextending in substantially abutting rela- The bottom angle member 25. as

' the metal panel-Iii around the projecting flange 2517, the parts beingrigidly securedltogether as by spot welding. Y

From the foregoing construction it will, therefore, be seen that thedoor is provided with pro- *jecting overlap flanging Illa andIflbextending continuously around the four marginal edges of flangededge ilflb of the closure panel 20 is adapted to fit within a recessedor notched portion 24a in the-bottom of the flange 24 and the closurepanel is removably secured within this recess'by means of screws 26. L

Referringto Figs. 1 and 2, the inner door panel is formed with outwardlyprojecting flange sections 2| extending from the marginal edges of theopening I5. These-flange sections terminate in edge flanges 2Iapositioned to engage the outer metal panel I0 and brace or support itagainst buckling or vibration. Atthe juncture of the wall I2 and theflange sections 2I the closure panel is placed in positionover theaperture I5 it will engage the offset sections I1 and I9 with the outersurfaceof the closure panel lying substantiallyflush with the outersurface of the wall I2 and with "the flange portions-23 seated withinthe offsets 22; v g I Th inn ed e p th w dow re eal ar be Embeddedwithin this flange'24 is a rein tion sheet and this sheet may becombined under heat and pressure with an oute relatively thin sheet orsheets of requisite transparency printed -with the inked design erpattern and impregmated with the resin. The sheets before their unionmay be pigmented as desired and the final panel when molded or pressedto shape will not only have considerable structural, impact and bendingstrength but will present a highly at tractive appearance. Manufactureof the panels may be carried out in accordance with the disclosure ofcopending applications Ser. No. 513,080, now Patent No. 2,410,361,granted October 29, 1946, and Ser. No. 543,852, filed July 7, 1944.

I claim: 7 V

1. A door structure comprising an outer metal panel and an innernon-metallic panel spaced apart and secured together around theirmarginal edges the inner panel having an opening between opposite edgesthereof and recessed portions at opposite sides of the opening, and aclosure panel for said opening having edge flanges fitting into saidrecessed portions.

2. A door structure comp-rising an outer metal panel and an innernon-metallic panel spaced apart and secured together around theirmarginal edges, the inner panel having an opening between opposite edgesthereof and recessed portions at opposite sides ofthe opening, a closurepanel for said opening-having portions fitting into said recessedportions, and brace members projecting outwardly from the edges of saidopening into abutting relation to the outer panel. V

3. A' door structure comprising an outer metal panel and an innernon-metallic panel spaced apart and secured together around theirmarginal edges, the inner panel having an opening between opposite sideedges thereof affording access to the space between the panels, theedges of said opening having ofiset portions, and a closure panel forsaid opening having edge flanges seated said ofiset portions. 1

4. A door structure comprising an outer metal panel, an inner plasticpanel having an inner generally vertical Wall terminating in integraloutward flange portions providing a continuous jamb face around themargins of the door, said flange portions abutting against the outerpanel and having reinforcing metal members embedded therein and securedto the edges of the outer panel to provide door overlap flangesprojecting in the general plane of the outer panel beyond said flangeportions of the inner panel.

5. A door structure comprising an outer pressed metal panel, an innerplastic panel havinga main inner wall terminating in an outwardly andtransversely extending flange, and a metallic angle member having aflange portion embedded in said flange and a second flange portionprojecting outwardly of said flange in juxtaposed relation .to the outerpanel and secured thereto.

6. A door structure comprising an outer pressed metal panel and an innerplastic panel spaced apart, the inner panel terminating in an outwardlydirected integral flange extending proximate to the outerpanel, and ametal member having a flange portion in the plane of said,

flange embedded therein and a second flange portion projecting angularlyand outwardly of the edge of said inner panel flange in juxtaposed relation to the outer panel and secured to the latter to provide a dooroverlap flange projecting beyond said inner panel flange.

7 A door structure comprising an outer pressed,

metal panel and an inner plastic panel'spaced apart, the inner, panelterminating in an outwardly directed integral flange extending proximateto the outer panel, anda metal member having a flange portion in theplane of said flange.

embeddedtherein and a second flange portion projecting angularly andoutwardly of the edge of said inner panel flange in juxtaposed relationto the outer panel, the edge of the outer panel being bent around theedge of said second flange outwardly of the edge of said inner panelflange in juxtaposed relation to the outer panel and secured to thelatter to provide a door overlap flange projecting beyond said flange. as a 9. A door structure comprising an outer pressed metal panel and aninner plastic panel spaced apart, the inner panel-terminating in out-'wardly directed flanges extending proximate to the outer panel toprovide door jamb portions, meansfor s'ecuringadjacentedges of the outerpanel and said flanges'together, the inner panel having an openingbetweenopposite edges, and a closure panel for. said opening fittingintoa recessed portion in the inner panel and extending from one edge ofthe inner panel to the opposite edge thereof and having an end flangefitting into a -recess in the jamb portion of the inner panel.

10. A door structure. comprising an outer pressed metal panel and aninner plastic panel spaced apart, the inner panel terminating inoutwardly directed flanges, means for securing adjacent edges of. theouter panel and certain of said flanges together, the inner panel havingan opening between opposite edges, and a closure panel for said openingfitting into a recessed portion 'inthe inner panel and. extending fromone edge of the inner panel to the opposite edge thereof and having anend flange overlapping the edge of one of said inner panel flanges.

11. A door structure comprising an outer pressed metal panel; and aninner plastic panel spacedapart, the innerpanel terminatingin outwardlydirected flangesextending proximate to the outer panel to provide doorjamb portions, means for securing adjacent edges of the outer panel andsaid flanges together, the innerpanel having an opening between oppositeedges, a closure panel for said opening fltting i'nto arecessed portionin the inner :panel and extending e one ed f th inne geeel'i 'i b e iinner panel edge thereof and having an end flange fitting into a recessin the iamb portion of the inner panel, and means for securing said endflange to said jamb portion.

12. A door structure comprising an outer pressed metal panel and aninner plastic panel spaced apart to form a window well therebetween, ametallic member having a part secured to said plastic panel and a partextending proximate to the edge of the outer panel and said edge beingsecured to said last part, said inner panel having an aperture providingaccess to said well, and a closure for said aperture removably securedto said inner panel and extending into a recessed portion thereof, saidclosure extending from the upper edge to the lower edge of the plasticpanel and having inwardly extending end flanging overlapping at leastone of said edges.

13. A door structure comprising an outer pressed metal panel and aninner plastic panel spaced apart to form a window welltherebetween, ametallic member having a part secured to said plastic panel and a partextending proximate to the edge of the outer panel and said edge beingsecured to said last part, said inner panel having an aperture providingaccess to said well, and a vertically extending closure for saidaperture removably secured to said inner panel and extending into arecessed portion thereof, said closure extending from the upper edge tothe lower edge of the plastic panel and having inwardly extending endfianging overlap ping at least one of said edges.

14. A door structure comprising an outer pressed metal panel and aninner plastic panel spaced apart to form a window well therebetween, ametallic member having a part secured to said plastic panel and a partextending proximate to the edge of the outer panel and said edge beingsecured to said last part, said inner panel having an aperture providingaccess to said well, and a horizontally extending closure for saidaperture removably secured to said inner panel and extending into arecessed portion thereof, said closure extending from one side edge tothe opposite side edge of the plastic panel and having inwardlyextending end flanging overlapping at least one of said edges.

15. A door structure comprising an outer metal panel and an innerplastic panel provided along opposite edges with outwardly extendingportions spacing the panels apart, metallic angle members having flangesextending in the plane of and embedded in said portions and additionalflanges projecting angularly and outwardly therefrom, said outer panelhaving portions extending in juxtaposed relation to said last namedflanges and bent around the edges thereof to secure the panels together.

ALVIN W. FRANCE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS FQREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Feb.23, 1928 Germany June 25, 1926 Great Britain Aug. 10, 1939 Great BritainOct. 9, 1939 Number Number

